Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — After nearly a decade of on-and-off construction, the long-awaited Fono building is finally scheduled to be officially inaugurated on Friday, November 28, the day after Thanksgiving.

This milestone was confirmed during a joint session of the Senate and House held last Tuesday in the Senate lounge.

Senator Olo Uluao Letuli, co-chair of the Fono Building Committee, briefed lawmakers on the progress of the multi-million dollar project. He reported that the committee conducted an inspection the day prior and confirmed that both the Senate and House chambers are now completed.

He noted that a few finishing touches remain, pending the arrival of specific materials. Among them is the highly prized native Samoan wood, Ifilele, which will be used to cover the podiums in both chambers. In the meantime, siapo, a traditional decorated bark cloth, will serve as a temporary covering.

The sound system installation is expected to be completed by the end of the month. Meanwhile, the air conditioning system is fully operational, and the elevator is up and running.

However, the offices designated for lawmakers are not expected to be completed until April of next year. Despite this, Senator Olo reassured members that both the House and Senate chambers are fully prepared and ready for use.

Senator Togiola Tulafono expressed the view that the official opening and dedication of the new Fono building should be postponed until the lawmakers' offices are fully completed. He emphasized that there was no need to rush the ceremony and recommended waiting until the entire facility is finished and ready for full use.

Given that the offices are expected to be completed by April, Senator Togiola proposed aligning the dedication with the annual Flag Day celebration, a significant event in American Samoa.

However, House Speaker Savali Talavou Ale concluded the discussion by affirming that the dedication will proceed as planned on November 28.

In an exclusive interview with architect and construction manager Mark Lively last week prior to the Fono's joint meeting, he explained that the delay stems from the considerable amount of work still required to ensure the facility is fully operational. This includes fine-tuning the communication (audio and visual) and security systems; installing furniture, including desk countertops and chairs; adding tiles and mirrors as part of the chamber décor; and completing various finishing touches throughout both chambers.

“We are anticipating an end-of-year celebration, likely around Thanksgiving or Christmas, to officially open this magnificent structure,” Lively stated.

As construction approaches the decade mark, the prolonged timeline has drawn considerable criticism from both Fono members and the general public.

Construction of the new Fono building began in 2018 under the direction of local contractor Paramount Builders Inc. Over the years, the project has encountered multiple change orders and time extensions due to a variety of challenges.

Paramount Builders owner Papalii Laulii Alofa testified in a Senate hearing in September 2024 that the primary reason for the construction delays was the shipment of materials and supplies, as nearly all materials had to be imported. He also highlighted that changes to the architectural plans, due to additions to the original scope of work, contributed to the delays. Furthermore, the non-availability of construction materials during the Covid-19 pandemic, when many manufacturing plants were closed, exacerbated the situation.

During its first four years, the structure stood as a monstrous vacant mass of concrete, an eyesore dominating the heart of downtown Fagatogo. Its presence, which stood out like a sore thumb, drew sharp criticism from disgruntled Fono members, local residents and the diaspora, who lamented its blight on the urban landscape.

Construction continued however and slowly, it has been transformed into the state-of-the-art, modern, yet traditional looking building it is today.

In September of last year, members of the 38th Legislature of American Samoa voted to take a month-long recess following the 40th day of their fourth and final regular session. Although the session was officially set to conclude on its 45th day — October 4, 2024 — the recess was strategically planned to reserve the final five days for a formal closing ceremony, to be held in the newly constructed Fono building.

During a Senate hearing convened to assess the readiness of the facility, Papalii Laulii and then-Director of Public Works Faleosina Voigt provided testimony regarding the construction timeline. Papalii stated that the main Fono building, including the legislative chambers, was expected to be completed in time for the November 2024 opening ceremony. However, he noted that the adjoining office spaces would likely be finished the following year, in 2025.

Senate President Tuaolo Manaia Fruean was resolute in his stance that, before the conclusion of the 38th Legislature, Fono members should have the opportunity to take their seats in the new Maota Fono — regardless of whether construction was fully completed — especially since some members would not be returning.

However, that vision ultimately did not materialize. Following a site visit in November 2024 with architect and project manager Lively, Fono leadership concluded that the new Maota Fono was still far from ready to host any official proceedings.

In 2025, the official opening dates for the main building and lawmakers' offices were scheduled and subsequently postponed four times.

Initially, the main building was slated to open in April, followed by the offices in July. However, when it became clear that these timelines were unrealistic, the dates were pushed to August for the main building and December for the offices. A third delay moved the openings to September and February 2026, respectively. The fourth and last postponement set the main building's inauguration for October 2025, with the lawmakers' offices expected to open in March 2026.

The House of Representatives chamber in the new Fono building. [photo: Asi A. Fa'asau]

Last week, the dates were finalized with the consensus of both chambers — November 28, 2025 for the main building and April 2026 for the lawmakers' offices.

In an interview last year with John Goeke, the local representative and liaison for construction manager and architect Lively, he stated that the project is an historical event which will be there for future generations of leaders and residents to use and the workers are demonstrating great pride to have been part of this construction project. He said while it has taken a long time to finish this project, it will be something we can all be proud of.

“Good things are worth waiting for,” Goeke declared.

Final inspection of the Fono building is scheduled to be conducted by personnel from the Department of Public Works prior to the issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy, which will coincide with the official opening ceremony on November 28. However, construction manager and architect Lively informed Samoa News that a team of electrical engineers from Hawaii is expected to arrive in mid-December to inspect the building’s electrical system.

Responding to a request for his personal opinion as architect and construction manager on when the building should be officially opened, he stated that he can only certify Substantial Completion, which means confirming that the building, or portions of the building are usable for its intended purpose.  

"Some examples might be, if a bathroom is not available for the occupants of the building, the building would not be usable.  Any life safety aspects, such as guardrails or fire alarm must be operational as well for the building to be usable for its intended purpose.

"Based on the above, for the main building I believe Thanksgiving might be too optimistic, but not out of the question.  Christmas would be more realistic. For the entire project, the contractor is telling me 1 April, 2026, but given how things have gone, I would be more comfortable with somewhere around June or July 2026," Lively commented.

The total cost of the new Fono building remains unclear at this time.

Project expenses have reportedly ballooned, largely due to a series of change orders. These stem not only from modifications initiated by Fono leadership — such as the addition of new offices for lawmakers — but also from a significant structural revision mandated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA determined that the original foundation was located in a flood-prone tsunami zone, necessitating its complete removal and reconstruction with enhanced structural reinforcement.

In 2021, the contract was up at $16 million due to these changes, from its original contract price of a little over $10 million. Two years later, the price tag was $26.6 million, that's increase of over $10 million that has not been detailed to the public.

It stands as one of the most expensive government-funded structures in American Samoa’s history, as well as possibly one of the longest-build.

Other major government projects which Lively is designing is for the Department of Education, include the Juvenile Alternative School building, Administration Building and the new School Lunch Warehouse building. As stated in the ASG FY 2024 first quarterly report, these projects have a total budget amount of $86.5 million.

It should also be noted that Lively was mentioned as hired by Public Works during the Lemanu Administration to renovate the EOB. His running bill for that project was mentioned at $1 Million when it was brought to light during a Fono hearing about the EOB renovations. Under the Pulaalii Administration, Craig Construction has the contract, with work expected to be completed late November of this year.